New Ulm's Abby Forstner brings the puck up the rink in the first period against Marshall Saturday afternoon in the Section 3A semifinals at the Red Baron Arena in Marshall. 

By Samantha Davis 

MARSHALL — The No. 4 New Ulm girls hockey team’s season came to an end after coming up short 7-1 to top-seeded Marshall in the Section 3A semifinals Saturday afternoon. 

Although facing just a 2-1 deficit after the first period, the Tigers took control the rest of the way on both ends of the ice between their speed and offensive pressure to pull away, while keeping the Eagles scoreless. 

Senior Tristyn Wolner scored New Ulm’s goal in the first period, while Ava Schmid finished the day with 35 saves on a .833 save percentage. The Eagles were outshot 42-10. 

Brooklyn Mauch led Marshall with a hat trick, while Abbey Foley had three assists. 

Saturday’s semifinals against New Ulm was a repeat of last season as well, where Marshall defeated the Eagles 2-1 behind Abbey Foley’s two power-play goals in the second period. 

Wolner scored New Ulm’s lone goal in that game as well, in the third period on a power play with three minutes remaining. 

The Eagles took down No. 5 Worthington 8-0 in the quarterfinals on Thursday to come to face the Tigers, capitalizing on a four-goal third period. Callie Haugen and Brielynn Weston led New Ulm with two goals apiece in the win, along with Schmid’s perfect performance in the net saving all of the Trojans’ 30 shots. 

Marshall and New Ulm battled off one another on both ends of the rink in the opening period, and went into the first intermission with the Tigers hanging on to a 2-1 edge. 

Elsie Deutz got Marshall on the board first, scoring at 5:37 stationed just outside of the right side of the crease as Avery Kesteloot fed the puck from the opposite side for Deutz to send to the back of the net. 

After Marshall stole the puck back on defense, Peyton DeMuth got it to Foley who found an open Mauch to finish the play and put the Tigers up 2-0. 

New Ulm turned the dial up offensively, and brought the score back within a goal after Jersey Haugen got the puck to Wolner who brought it around the backside of the goal and wrapped around and scored in the corner in the 11th minute. 

Marshall outshot the Eagles 14-6 in the first period, and all three goals were scored on even strength.  

Yet, the Tigers honed in on their defense and speed to match its offensive power in the second period to score another two goals while keeping New Ulm scoreless, building a 4-1 lead by the end. 

Mauch scored her second goal of the night 40 seconds into the period unassisted after taking the puck up the rink herself once taking it back on defense. 

The physicality between the Tigers and Eagles also took a jump up in the second period. There were seven penalties assessed during the game, four going to Marshall. All were minor. 

Foley and Mauch connected once again on a power play at the 8:42 mark. 

Foley fought hard to get the puck back in Marshall’s possession while in New Ulm territory, taking on two defenders by goal, and eventually pushed it out to Mauch for the score. 

Marshall kept control for the remainder of the period for the majority, and rattled off a handful more shots while Schmid continued to make the saves. 

The Tigers ultimately kept much of the same pace and tempo throughout the third period to finish the job. 

Brianna Foley got in on the scoring action in the second minute with a shot into the goal after the puck flew a bit in the air after bouncing off the goalie. 

Mauch and Lucie Pearson then put the dagger on the win with another goal each as time went on, with Pearson’s coming in the final minute. 

New Ulm finishes its season 6-19-2, and graduates its talented group of seniors in Wolner, Madalynn Olson, Lilly Kral and Schmid. 

Olson led the Eagles this season with 23 points between a team-best 13 goals to her 10 assists. Haugen led the team with 15 assists. Wolner also had 10 goals and eight assists on the year, while Schmid finishes her senior-year campaign in the net with 887 saves on an .891 save percentage.